Composure is emotional
balance.
The ability to remain emotionally stable in the event of crisis or stress can be
a valuable quality.
We encounter many things in life that might upset a person, tai chi teaches us
to slow down and remain calm.

Inner conflict prevents outer accord.
When the mind feels to be at war with the world, there can be no peace.
Peace is not a goal or target; it occurs naturally when activity stops.
Our conditioning, opinions, memories and ideas all conflict with the way things
are.

If you cannot control
your emotions, you cannot control your money.

(Warren Buffett)

Resistance is futile

People try to shape reality to suit their own ideas, and conflict is caused by
the resistance they encounter.
Imbuing ideas with emotion creates upset.
In tai chi we soften our minds and bodies in order to remove resistance, we
allow emotions to rise and fall of their own accord.

Most martial arts cultivate aggression. It is a natural, human, easy response to
violence/confrontation.
Taijiquan does not use aggression.
It calls upon the student to be emotionally calm and composed.
This is not so easy, but is far healthier: physically, psychologically and
emotionally.

Composure in tai chi

Taijiquan is often performed slowly and the emphasis is always upon relaxed,
comfortable movement.
This slowness is calming, and allows the mind to settle.
When the body naturally relaxes and sinks; the student feels grounded and
stable.

Taijiquan trains stress management by encouraging a person to remain calm during
vigorous partner work.
As physical contact becomes familiar and natural, a person becomes more relaxed
when faced with conflict.
Many uncomfortable situations can be avoided by being composed.

Life can be very stressful and demanding.
Taijiquan and Taoism encourage people to be relaxed and patient in the face of
adversity.
By avoiding unnecessary conflict, life feels easier.
A tai chi person avoids situations by not getting into them, by dealing with
the potential before it becomes a problem.

The Art of War
pinpoints anger and greed as fundamental causes of defeat. According to Sun Tzu,
it is the unemotional, reserved, calm, detached warrior who wins, not the
hothead seeking vengeance and not the ambitious seeker of fortune.